Method and apparatus for mixing colors



K. W. CONNOR.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING COLORS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-10,19l9. 1

1,403,485. Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

K. W CONNOR. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING COLORS. APPLICATION FILED OCT- IO, 1919:

1,403,485. A Patented Jan. 111922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

35 WFIVW 'UNlTiil) STATES PATENT GFFEQE.

KIRKE W. CONNOR, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING COLORS.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Jan. it,

Application filed Gotober 10, 1919. Serial No. 829,359.

sidin at and btate of Miclugan have invented certain new and useful 'provements in Methods and Apparatus ior M ing Colors, t which the following is a specification, efcrence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the art of mixing colors or pigments and the invention consists in certain improved features as hereinafter set forth.

in the present state of the art liquid paints are usually formed by the grindin of the )ignients in the oil, or other liquid, to produce a line suspension. Fine grinding is best accomplished by a stone mill but it has bee found des' 'able to perform a preliminary coarse grirding by a metal mill, more particul "or the purpose of providing a unii o n "eed for the stone mill. it is also necessary to first mix the dry pigments with the liquid and this operation is usually performed a point more or less remote from the grinding mills. Therefore, as usually carried out the complete process includes; first, the step of introducing the dry uigments in proper proportion into the liquid; second. the thorough in ing of these ingredients with the liquid, usually performed in a rotary agitator; third. the transof the mixing to the grinding mills; fourth. the coarse grinding, and; fifth, the fine grinding.

in the several transfers of the material from one part of the ap aratus to another a considerable quantity ov iaint will adhere to the sides of the recept This necessitates labor of c caning the receptacles and also involves waste of materials. It is not erform the mixing at t ie grindas the preliminary mixing is ormed in the rotary agitator at the point of compounding, a separate vessel is required for its transfer to the hopper of the grinder.

To simplify the process and eliminate waste, 1 dispense with the separate transfer vessel and perform the mixing in a portable vessel which is first stationed at the point of compounding and after the mixing operation carried to the grinders. Furthermore, to maintain a good mixture and to prevent the material from falling out of suspension before entering the grinders, provision is made for continuing the agitatlon of the mixture in the portable container until the contents are entirely discharged into the grinder. lhis is accomplished by construction of portable mixer. including an agitator therein and means by which said agitator may be driven both at the original point and while in proximity to the grinder. My improvement therefore comprises a method and an a) aratus illustrated n the c drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section through the mixing tank;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the grinder showing the portable mixer in operative relation thereto;

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2.

A is a portable mixer which, as shown. is in the form of a cylindrical tank having a bottom Bpreferably raised above the lower edge of the side walls. C is arotary agitator within the tank consisting of radial arms G and obliquely arranged blades or paddles C This agitator is driven from a shaft D, which preferably extends up-v ward through the bottom Bot the tank and through a central tube Eextending upward above the level of the liquid therein. The upper end of the shaft is connected with a tubular member F surrounding the tube E and attached at its lower end to the radial arms C.

For eflecting the preliminary mixing the port-able mixer A is placed upon a machine, including a rotary table G mounted on a frame H and driven through the medium of the beveled gear wheels I and J from a drive shaft K. This machine is also provided with the means for driving the agitator C in a reverse direction to the rotation of the table G, this comprising a beveled wheel I. A shaft M on which the gear wheel L is mounted passing axially through the gear wheel 1 and rotary table G, has a coupling clutch N for rotatively attaching the shaft ill with the shaft D. The arrangement is such that when the portable mixer A. is in engagement with this machine, the outer tank will .be revolved in one direction and the agitator paddles in the opposite direction, thereby effecting a thorough mixing and commingling of the dry pigments with the liquids.

The grinder is of a construction heretofore used, comprising" a stone mill 0 and metal mill P arranged thereabove. There is also a hopper or receptacle Q into which the mixture is placed to be fed successively to the grinders P and O. The grinders are axially aligned and are driven from ashaft F, which in turn is driven through the medium of beveled gear wheels S and S from the drive shaft T.

As previously described it is the usual process to transfer the mixture from the mixing machine into the hopper Vith my improvement the portable mixer A is removed from the table (1, is carried to the rinder and is placed on a stationary table IT adjacent to the mill P and above the level of the same. The grinder is also provided with a shaft V passing through the table U and having a coupling engagement with the shaft D, while the shaft V is driven throiwh the medium of the gear wheels and l from the shaftlt. With the arrangement just described as soon as the materials have been su'f'liciently mixed in the machine shown in Figure 1, the tank A is removed and placed on the table U where the agitation will be continued by the driving of the agitator C from the shaft V. The outer wall of the tank A is )rovided near its lower end with a valve X which may be intermittently opened to fill the mill P with the mixture. i

In the manufacture of certain grades of colors it is necessary to regrind the material after it is once passed through the mill. With my improvement this may be accomplished by collecting the ground material discharged from the mill in a portable mixer,

such as above described, and in then placing this mixer upon the table U and feeding the contents again into the hopper Q. Thus the same vessels are used for the original mixing ifor feeding the mixed material into the grinder and for collecting from the grinder and feeding material a second time therethrough.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The process of preparing plastic paints comprising compounding the liquid and dry ingredients at a given point and in a portable mixer, mixing the materials therein at said point, transporting said portable mixer with the mixed materials therein to a grinder loeatedat a remote point, mounting said mixer in operative relation to said grinder and simultaneously mixing, feeding and grinding.

2. The process of preparing plastic paints comprising compounding the liquid and dry ingredients in a portable mixer, mixing the materials therein at the point of compounding, transporting the mixer and its content to a grinding mill located at a remote point, mounting said mixer in operative relation to said mill to continue the agitation of the mixer during the grinding of the mill, and means for feeding the material from said mixer to the grinder.

3. In a paint producing apparatus, the combination with the grinding mill, of a portable container for the compounding of ingredients, an agitator therein, means located at a. point remote from said mill for operating said agitator, and means for mounting said portable container in operative relation to said mill to continue the agitation while feeding the material to the grinder.

In testimony whereof I a'Hix my signature.

KIRKE' W. CONNOR. 

